Venetian blinds in order to decrease the penetration of light when closed



March 19, 1957 o. BERNI 2,785,744

VENETIAN BLINDS IN ORDER TO DECREASE THE PENETRATION OF LIGHT WHEN CLOSED Filed Feb. 10, 1954- 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor- QPLS 7 5 Bt lQN/ A ttorn e y s.

. o. IBERNI March 19, 1957 VENETIAN BLINDS IN ORDER TO DECREASE THE PENETRATION OF LIGHT WHEN CLOSED Filed Feb. 10, 1954 2 Shets-Sheet 2 A ttorn e ys.

Z,'i85,744 Patented Mair. 19,1957

VENETIAN BLINDS 1N onnun T DECREASE THE PENETRATIGN or near WEN CLOSED Oreste Berni, Florence, Italy Application February 10, 1954, Serial No. water Claims priority, application Italy February 14, 1953 3 Claims. ((Zl. 160- 173) Adjustable closures, called Venetian blinds, are used in recesses such as windows and the like; such blinds being made up of a plurality of louvre slats assembled on at least two pairs of strips provided with connecting members, on which the slats lie. Means are provided for pulling on one or on the other strip of one pair in order to orient the louvre slat in at least two positions in which respectively there is a partial penetration of light or a com- .plete closure to avoid the passage of light. Such blinds have the disadvantage that the louvre slats when in the closure position, do not contact one another and thus also in the position of maximum inclination of the slats,

reason for this disadvantage is that, owing to manufacturing limitations, the said double strips must be provided with connecting members which are located ata determined distance in relation to their length, which corresponds to the width of the louvre slats forming the blind. The slats are slightly arcuatein order to preserve suflicient rigidity andjallow an edge of each slat to approach the convexity of'the underlying slat.

The present invention eliminatesthe disadvantage of the peneh'aiion of light through the blind in {the'po'sition of mairinium inclinationof thelouvre slats, by allowing the lower edge of one louvre slat to contact or at least to closely approach the under-lying slat. For this purpose, the width of the louvre slats is larger than the maximum distance obtainable between the strips; that is, the free or I effective length of the connecting members attached to the two strips. Notches are provided in the slats corresponding to the strips and are located at least along one edge of each of the slats, in such a way that the width of the slats at the notches corresponds to the maximum spacing of the strips; that is, to the free or effective length of the members connecting the strips. An edge, or each edge, of each arcuate louvre slat, in which the notches, wherein the strips are extended, are provided, in the position corresponding to the maximum inclination of the slats in relation to the strips, approaches the underlying slat until it rests on the same, thus obstructing the penetration of light.

In the usual type of Venetian blinds, the notches are preferably rectangular and are of a width equal at least to the width of the strip which extends into the notches; The notches, which commence from anedge of the slat, may be formed both in a single edge or in both edges. In this case, a larger interception of the light takes place either in the position of maximum inclination of the slats outwardly and downwardly, or in the position of maximum inclination outwardly and upwardly.

The interception of the light in a blind of this kind is preferably assisted by making the inner strip of each pair of strips wider than the outer strip, which latter extends opposite to the notch leading from the outer edge Of the louvre slat. In this way the small amount of light,which might filter through owing to the notches, is intercepted by the wider strip.

The depth of the notches, more especially rectangular, is based upon the projection of the edge of the s'lat which is required in view of the strip, in order for the edge to approach or to rest on the adjacent slat.

This arrangement may be provided for louvre slats of any shape, more especially for simple arcua te snowmen are upwardly convex. The arrangement may also be effected with slats having a double camber profile, fluted slats or the like, or slats provided with appropriate longitudinal folds.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, one constructional form of the invention.

In the drawings: I v v Fig. 1 shows a Venetian blind, with the louvre slats in the position of maximum closure; 7

Fig. 2 shows, on a larger scale, part of the blind shown inFig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 respectively, show to a larger scale sections on the lines HI1II and IVIV in Fig. 1;

Figs. 5 and 6 respectively are a partial perspective view and a vertical cross-section of the blind in the position in which the louvre slats are horizontal; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the slats.

Refierring to the drawin gs:

An upper box 1 contains the usual operating members, which include driving rollers 2 for relatively thin pullers or cords 3 which are connected at the loop 3a and which, in known manner, are used to raise and lower the blind. A drum 4 is turnably arranged in the box 1 and it can be turned in both directions by a small cord 5, which,

through agear- 6 and W9 sy -r nrnetr -ical gears 7,-is arranged t-o-receive strips Band respectively. Each pair of strips forms an orientation device for the usual louvre slats. Two pairs ofstr-ips, controlled by the two small shafts 8, he provided. By turning the drum 4 in the two directions, enact the strips 59 or 10 is drawn up, while the other is released. The-strips 9 and 10 oieach pair of strips'are connected by appropriate members 11 secured to the strips, for instance, by weaving or sewing in known manner. Alternatively, the connecting members are arranged on two alignments. The slat-s 1 2, of appropriate arcuate section, rest on the members 11 in such a way that, by pulling one of said strips and releasing the other through the agency of the control string 5, the slats may be orientated outwardly and downwardly in the position i of maximum inclination (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) or in a substantially horizontal position (Figs. 5, 6 and 7) or in an inclined position opposite to that shown in Figs. 2, 3 and. 4, that is, towards the outside and towards the top. The cords or pullers 3 for raising the blind are located,

in the construction now being described, between the or apertures 13, in the construction now being described, are rectangular and as wide as, or slightly wider than,

the strips 19, so that the two strips 10 can be accommodated within the notches or apertures.

In Fig. 7 the reference letter b denotes the depth of the notches or'apertures 13, so that the total width a of the louvre slats is equal to the sum of the effective 7 length of the connecting mem-bers 11 plus the depth 5' of the notches 33. The base 121) of the louvre slats, as'

above mentioned, projects beyond the outer strip 10 an amount equal to the depth b of the notchcslli.

. sizing of the connecting members 11.1 it is particularly possible to make the width of the slats independent with respect to the length of the connecting members 11 and thus to make the slats of any width a.

The arrangement of the notches 13 may be duplicated,

'in'the sense of also providing notches 13' on the edge 7 opposite to the edge 12b.

According to the inventiomit is suitable andappropriate to make the'strips of each pair of strips, such as the strips 9 and. 10, of different widths. For instance, it

is possible to make the inner strips 9 wider than the outer strips It), as shown in Fig.7. By this'arrangement, the wider strip is capable of intercepting the light which may enter because of the narrower strip owing to the presence of the notches, such as the notches 13 or the like, since the edges 12b are interrupted corresponding to the notches.

Metallic annular reinforcements may be provided around the slots, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, which show the application of such a reinforcement to one of the slots 12a in one of the louvre slats. The rigidity of the slats is increased by this arrangement in the direction of the length corresponding to the weakened section of the slots 12a and the notches 13.

The drawings only show one construction which mav be varied in the shape and arrangements.

What I claim is: r

1. A full-closure Venetian blind comprising a plurality of horizontally extending, vertically spaced slats, at least two pairs of tapes, the tapes of each pair being arranged on the opposite sides of said slats and a plurality of vertically spaced narrow cross-bars staggered on opposite sides of the centerline of the'tapes, and connecting them together, lift cords extending through the tapes of each pair of tapes and between said alternately staggered crossbars, each of said slats being crowned and having transversely elongated cord holes provided therein, said lift cords passing through said cord holes, each of said slats having a width greater than the length of said cross-bars and having a longitudinally elongated notch formed in its longitudinal edge, said notch being downwardly located when the blind is overturned in the closure position and in lateral alignment with said cord hole and in correspondence of each of the tapes adjacent said edge, said notch having a depth substantially equal to the difference between the width of said slats and the length of said cross-bars and having a width substantially equal to the width of said tape adjacent said edge, whereby the tape is extended in the notches, each of said tapes adjacent said edge'being narrowerthan the other tape of each pair of tapes.

2. A Venetian blind according to claim 1, wherein said cord holes include a peripheral reinforcement.

3. A full-closure Venetian blind comprising a plurality of horizontally extending, vertically spaced,.bent slats, at least two pair of tapes, the tapes of each pair arranged on the opposite sides of said slats and a plurality of vertically spaced narrow cross-bars staggered on opposite sides of the centerline of the tapes, and connecting them together, lift means for said slats, each of said slats having a width greater than the length of said cross-bars and having a longitudinally elongated notch formed in its longitudinal edge, said notch being downwardly located when the blind is overturned in the closure position, and in correspondence with each of the tapes adjacent said edge, said notch having a depth substantially equal to'the difierence between the width of said slats and the length of said cross-bars and having a width substantially equal to the width of said tape adjacent said edge, whereby the tape is extended in the notches, each of said tapes adjacent-said edge being narrower than the other tape of each pair. I

2,572,224 Walker Oct. 23, 1951 2,646,115 Bucher et al., July 21, 1953 

